OUR
HISTORY
The
SSS Network / Belize Hyperbaric Facility (owned and operated by Subaquatic Safety of Belize, LTD) first opened
its doors to the diving community of Belize in 1989.
It started its operations with the support of about
8 dive operators and the equipment was first installed
on a slab of concrete created by the dive operators
themselves! This became the foundation of the first
chamber building built by the SSS Network, but it was a self-assembled aircraft hangar!
In 2002, we designed an entirely new facility, and broke
ground in early 2002. The new facility was fully operational
and was inaugurated in August 2002. Our modern clinic today
consists of a reception and waiting room area, chamber area,
patient recovery area, technical area, private patient ward
and an X-Ray unit to convenience patients with suspected
lung injuries.
We now count on the support of nearly 50 affiliated dive
operators through our Belize Access Program. This represents
more than 90% of all dive operators of Belize. Without their
support, the chamber would not be able to service the medical
needs of the Belize diving community.
To date, more than 400 patients have been treated for diving
related injuries alone. Without the chamber many of these
injuries may have been life threatening or have caused serious
permanent damage.
Chamber Tours
If you are visiting Ambergis Caye and Belize
and would like to tour our facility, you are welcome! Chamber
tours are free, but we do ask that you contact us during
normal business hours by phone to arrange an appropriate
time to ensure patient treatments are not being conducted.
Professional
Affiliations
The SSS Network / Belize Chamber
Facility is an International Divers Alert Network (IDAN) Referral Center, and a member of the Undersea And Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS).
UHMS: www.uhms.org
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OUR
STAFF
We maintain our clinic on a 24 Hour Emergency
Basis, with regularly scheduled daily hours. Our staff consists
of trained Hyperbaric Physicians, Dive Medical Technicians
(DMT's), trained Chamber Operators and Attendants, and support
and administrative staff. We also offer ongoing training
and education to the Dive Operators and Health Care Providers
throughout Belize. The clinic is part of the international
SSS Network, a global hyperbaric medicine provider, and operated
by Subaquatics of Belize, Ltd
Listed below are some of our Belize key staff:

Antonia Guerrero- EMT,
Assistant Manager
|

Dr. Miguel Allison,
Physician
|
|
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OUR
CHAMBER & EQUIPMENT

At
the heart of any facility specializing in Hyperbaric
Medicine is the chamber itself. Our chamber here in Belize
is a "multiplace" chamber (60" diameter
multilock chamber), which means that staff and physicians
can enter / exit the chamber at any time during a treatment
without changing the pressure inside the main lock of the chamber.
Our chamber is equipped to provide all hyperbaric treatments
as outlined by U.S. Navy protocols and may be pressurized
up to an equivalent of 165 feet (fsw) / 50 meters. The
chamber can accommodate up to 3 people at one time, and
voice communication between the chamber and the operators
is maintained at all times. The interior of the chamber
is also monitored via video cameras. It is worth noting that we are the only chamber in Central America with the infrastructure and training to apply COMEX mixed gas tables for the most severe kind of pressure-related accidents.
ADDITIONAL FACILITIES
In addition to treating Decompression Illness (DCI) in
recreational divers, we also offer a range of Clinic services
for diagnosing and treating NON-DCI ailments in divers
(ear trauma and infections, and minor injuries sustained
while diving). The SSS Network /Belize Chamber also has
the only X-Ray Facility on the island.
... 
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AFFILIATED
DIVE OPERATORS
The
SSS Network/Belize Chamber Facility would not be possible
without the generous support from the SCUBA Diving Community
in Belize. Through our special ACCESS PROGRAM, these operators
are able to contribute a small nominal fee to help support
the overhead of the chamber and help us defray the cost
of our 24 hour on-call status.
Diving in Belize is done along our world famous Belize
Barrier Reef (which stretches the entire length of the
country), and on our equally famous offshore atolls known
as the Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover's
Reef. Lighthouse Reef is also home to the famous BLUE HOLE,
popularized by Capt. Jacques Cousteau as one of the most
unique dives in the entire world.
The Dive Operators listed below have shown a strong commitment
to our chamber and emergency medical facility, and to diving
safety in Belize. They are also committed to showing visitors
some of the most exciting diving in the world while maintaining high safety standards. The operators are
listed in alphabetical order below within each separate diving area of
Belize...
Note: " N.A." means that web or email contact
information was unavailable at time of publication.
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CONTACT
US
You may contact the SSS Network /
Belize Facility via email, mail, and/or telephone/fax.
Email: belize@sssnetwork.com
Mailing Address:
SSS NETWORK / Belize
Subaquatics of Belize, Ltd
# 11 Lions St.
San Pedro Town, Belize, Central America
Phone: Tel: 501- 226-2851 / 226-3195
Fax: 501- 226 - 2852
Normal Clinic Hours are: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (U.S. Central
Time, - 6 GMT), 7 Days a Week
EMERGENCY: 24 Hour Belize Emergency
Line: 501- 226 - 2851
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